Catheter for even distribution of therapeutic fluids
First Claim
1. A multilumen catheter having an operative distal portion for the uniform delivery of therapeutic fluid to a location within a patient'"'"'s vascular system, comprising:
- a) an elongated tubular body having proximal and distal ends, a first longitudinally extendinginner lumen with an axial opening in the distal end of the tubular body which is adapted to receive a guidewire and a sidewall which defines at least in part an additional longitudinally extending inner lumen adapted to receive therapeutic fluid;
b) a plurality of longitudinally spaced fluid passageways which extend radially through the sidewall of the elongated tubular body in the operative distal portion of the catheter from the additional inner lumen to the exterior of the tubular body and which are adapted to direct therapeutic fluid from the additional inner lumen to the exterior of the tubular body, the transverse cross-sectional area of the passageways and the spacing therebetween being controlled to provide a flow discharge area per unit length of the operative distal portion of the catheter which increases in the distal direction to provide a uniform flow of therapeutic fluid to the exterior of the tubular member; and
c) means at the proximal end of the tubular member to direct treatment fluid to the additional lumen adapted to receive said fluid.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multilumen vascular catheter for the delivery of therapeutic fluids, e.g., containing thrombolytic agents, to a patient'"'"'s blood vessel. The catheter has a plurality of flow passageways in the wall of the outer tubular member in which the discharge openings thereof increase in diametrical dimensions so that a desired, e.g., uniform, flow of treatment fluid is delivered exteriorly of the catheter body. The flow passageways preferably are formed by means of lasers. A first rectangularly shaped passageway is formed in the catheter wall and then a second rectangularly shaped hole is made in the wall, overlapping the first hole to form the final rectangular shape. The catheter is particularly adapted to deliver small quantities of thrombolytic agents, such as urokinase, streptokinase, and tissue plasminogen activator.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A multilumen catheter having an operative distal portion for the uniform delivery of therapeutic fluid to a location within a patient'"'"'s vascular system, comprising:
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a) an elongated tubular body having proximal and distal ends, a first longitudinally extendinginner lumen with an axial opening in the distal end of the tubular body which is adapted to receive a guidewire and a sidewall which defines at least in part an additional longitudinally extending inner lumen adapted to receive therapeutic fluid; b) a plurality of longitudinally spaced fluid passageways which extend radially through the sidewall of the elongated tubular body in the operative distal portion of the catheter from the additional inner lumen to the exterior of the tubular body and which are adapted to direct therapeutic fluid from the additional inner lumen to the exterior of the tubular body, the transverse cross-sectional area of the passageways and the spacing therebetween being controlled to provide a flow discharge area per unit length of the operative distal portion of the catheter which increases in the distal direction to provide a uniform flow of therapeutic fluid to the exterior of the tubular member; and c) means at the proximal end of the tubular member to direct treatment fluid to the additional lumen adapted to receive said fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for treating a thrombus in a region of a patients s blood vessel comprising:
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a) advancing a guidewire through the region of the patient'"'"'s blood vessel having a thrombus; b) advancing a multilumen catheter over the guidewire until an operative distal portion of the catheter extends into the region having the thrombus, the catheter comprising; an elongated tubular body having proximal and distal ends, a first lumen with an axial opening in the distal end of the tubular body which receives the guidewire and a wall which defines at least in part an additional inner lumen which receives thrombolytic fluid at the proximal end thereof; a plurality of radially extending, longitudinally spaced fluid passageways in the operative distal portion of the catheter which extend through the sidewall of the elongated tubular body from the inner lumen, said passageways having a transverse cross-sectional area increasing in the distal direction so that there is uniform flow of thrombolytic fluid from the additional inner lumen to the exterior of the tubular body along the operative distal portion of the catheter; and b) directing thrombolytic fluid through the additional inner lumen to discharge such fluid through the radially extending passageways in a uniform manner into thrombus surrounding the operative portion of the catheter along the length thereof. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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Specification